All posts filed under: Workshops

Another fun workshop. Spent the morning introducing the different types of lights and modifiers used in a professional photography studio. In the afternoon we photographed our model Brianda after makeup up artist Jessica Coupar worked her magic. Little Jasmine even joined in at the end of the shoot wearing her own baby uniform. Thank you to workshop participants Tyson and Angie for managing to join us during the heaviest rain in recent history! Thank you to Jessica Coupar for makeup, and Brianda for being our model. Finally thank you to Jasmine for bravely wearing a red shirt and surviving the mission.

2017 has been another busy year. So many things to mention…. Photography workshops have been a success, and it’s been great sharing my passion (and terrible jokes) with so many other people, whether its learning the fundamentals, or dressing up as rockstars in the studio. We had an amazing 1-week workshop in Kyoto with six lovely ladies, and a combination of planning and a little luck meant we got to photograph maiko, cherry blossom, shrines, temples, castles, bullet trains, and blue skies over the week. Yuki started taking kimono classes before the workshop so she could be our subject for staged shots, and there were plenty of opportunities for fortuitous street photographs. (We’re planning the next Kyoto Workshop for April 2019.) A huge thank you to clients who have booked me for sessions. It has been a pleasure shooting commercial portraits, families, fairy tales, and senior portraits. We’ve shot several events including the USO Service Salute, the Warrior’s Ball, and karate seminars. We’ve also worked on assignment with international clients including NBC, Cinq Mondes, and Forbes. …

A great Photography Fundamentals workshop last weekend with Marco, Kristin, Heather and Gary. This was our last photography workshop for the year, but we’ll start back again in 2018. There will be a Photography Fundamentals workshop on January 6th and 7th, then there will be a break for a couple of months as Yuki and I are expecting our first child in mid-February 🙂 By May, workshops will back on track and we’ll be hosting Fundamentals, Advanced, Off-camera flash, Studio and other exciting opportunities to learn and take photos. We hope to hold the Kyoto workshop again in early April 2019. A big thank you to everyone who joined us for workshops this year, it was a pleasure hanging out with you all. A huge thank you to Yuki for making banana bread, listening to my dad jokes (again and again), and putting on kimonos at 4AM. Wouldn’t have been possible without you.

Goldfish shoals, nibbling at my toes. Fun, Fun, Fun in the Sun, Sun, Sun. HAPPY WELCOME to the summer heat and humidity. Beautiful blue skies, and sweaty sweaty t-shirts. Spent the weekend out in the sun for the North and South Intermediate Workshop. 82 year old Jahana-san showing how to stay cool in the summer heat. Put on a hat and stay in the shade. Time for some fresh mango juice.

An epic Fight Club studio workshop yesterday. In the morning we went through the basics of studio strobes, triggering, and variables such as distance, position and quality of light. Then it was fight time. In the red gloves, Zac “The Flash” Pesicka. In the blue gloves Andre “The Body” Smith In the early rounds Zac’s speed was a clear advantage, Andre was thrown onto the ropes with a crushing right hook. Shrugging off the blow, and up before the nonexistent referee had counted to 10, Andre continued the fight. A mid-fight tussle with makeup artist Audra Pesicka had left the fighters bruised and bleeding. Keith “Cutman” Robbins stepped into check on the condition of his fighters. Zac landed a punishing blow to the ribs. But moments later Andre retaliated with a fight ending uppercut. The champ. A huge thanks to both fighters for shedding sweat and fake blood during the fight. Thanks to “Cutman” Robbins for the inspiring words and continuously humming Eye of the Tiger. Once again, thank you to makeup artist Audra Pesika …

A fantastic rock star themed studio workshop last Sunday. After a few hours in the morning covering the basics of studio shooting we moved on to the theme of the day. For most of these shots we used the Profoto 7a generator with 2 proheads as the rear hair lights. Grids on the zoom reflectors controlled the spill of light, while gels gave the lights color. A small smoke machine gave the shots more atmosphere. We had a Profoto D2 with a gridded softlight reflector as the key light and a Profoto B1 with red / orange gels on the left side. The lights were triggered with Profoto Air Remotes. Natalie and Kelley were our awesome models. Both where more than willing to sing, play guitar, and hammer away on the keytar. Although it was probably for the best that none of the instruments were plugged in 🙂 Makeup and hair was by Audra Presika who also created the temporary tattoos for Natalie. It’s great to have an MUA to work with who can help …

Rainy season has started in Okinawa. The weather forecast for May’s Fundamentals Workshop wasn’t good, in fact it said there would be downpours all day. Rather than head to indoor locations for our excursion, we braved the elements, and were rewarded with a beautiful rainless Sunday. Big smiles all around. Thanks you Keith, Yuki, Charlie, Jenny, Alejandra and Adam for a great weekend. The next Fundamentals Workshop will be June 3rd & 4th.

A final post from the Kyoto workshop. One evening we had a memorable few minutes that resulted from being in the right place at the right time, and a fair amount of luck. The featured image at the top of the post may be my favorite of the trip. It is nice to get a shot that captures several aspects of Kyoto life in a single frame. Why luck? Because a maiko or geisha will prebook a taxi then wait for it to arrive. You usually get a brief glimpse of them as they dart from a doorway into the taxi. On this occasion, however, a geiko and a maiko were stood waiting on the sidewalk for their taxi. Close by another geiko was talking into a mobile phone. For three or four minutes they stood on the street, and unsurprisingly, drew stares from locals and tourists. Finally the taxi arrived and the two geikos, followed by the maiko, got in and were whisked away. Another memorable moment from a great Kyoto workshop. A big …

A couple of portraits from part of last month’s studio workshop where we were using soft light and black background. Thanks Allison for joining the workshop and posing for us. Camera: Pentax 645Z with 90mm lens Lighting: Profoto D2 with softlight reflector white (right) White card as a reflector (left) Profoto 7a with 2 pro heads in RFi 1×4′ softboxes (rear left and right) for rim light. Triggered with Profoto Air Remote.

During the Kyoto 2017 Workshop we jumped on the bullet train to visit Himeji City and the finest example of a Japanese castle. I didn’t get any new shots of the castle itself, but did get a few snaps of the guards. A short BTS video taken by Tech Ninja Patrick. And here are few shots of the castle from 2016 in case you were wondering which one is Himeji. For movie fans, it’s the castle used to train the elite fighting force in James Bond’s. “You Only Live Twice.”

Kyoto

Imperial Palace, Kyoto, Japan. 23/10/2011 Participant in Kyoto’s Jidai Matsuri (Festival of Ages). Delayed by a day due to rain, Jidai Matsuri took place with a parade of around 2000 Japanese in traditional costumes. Parade travels from the Imperial Palace to Heian Shrine. Costumes include Meji Restoration, Muromachi, to Heian Period

Gion Matsuri, Kyoto

Imperial Palace, Kyoto, Japan. 23/10/2011 Participant in Kyoto’s Jidai Matsuri (Festival of Ages). Delayed by a day due to rain, Jidai Matsuri took place with a parade of around 2000 Japanese in traditional costumes. Parade travels from the Imperial Palace to Heian Shrine. Costumes include Meji Restoration, Muromachi, to Heian Period

Imperial Palace, Kyoto, Japan. 23/10/2011 Participant in Kyoto’s Jidai Matsuri (Festival of Ages). Delayed by a day due to rain, Jidai Matsuri took place with a parade of around 2000 Japanese in traditional costumes. Parade travels from the Imperial Palace to Heian Shrine. Costumes include Meji Restoration, Muromachi, to Heian Period

Imperial Palace, Kyoto, Japan. 23/10/2011 Participant in Kyoto’s Jidai Matsuri (Festival of Ages). Delayed by a day due to rain, Jidai Matsuri took place with a parade of around 2000 Japanese in traditional costumes. Parade travels from the Imperial Palace to Heian Shrine. Costumes include Meji Restoration, Muromachi, to Heian Period

Kyoto, Japan

Tokyo

Sanja Matsuri, Asakusa, Tokyo. Small mikoshi for small children. The whole family takes part in the celebration.

Sanja Matsuri, Asakusa, Tokyo. Sometimes a different angle gives you a new perspective on a festival. Tightly packed, pushing and shoving, teams of men and women carry mikoshi towards Asakusa Shrine.

Fukagawa Fetival aka water throwing festival held at Tomioka Hachimangu Shrine, Tokyo, Japan on Sunday Aug 16, 2014. Water thrown at mikoshi (portable shirines) carried through streets in one of the great Shinto festivals of Tokyo.

Fukagawa Fetival aka water throwing festival held at Tomioka Hachimangu Shrine, Tokyo, Japan on Sunday Aug 17, 2014. Water thrown at mikoshi (portable shirines) carried through streets in one of the great Shinto festivals of Tokyo.

Maman (1999) i bronze, stainless steel, and marble sculpture of spider by the artist Louise Bourgeois at the base of Mori Tower. Roppongi, Tokyo

Godzilla Statue beside the Toho Hibiya Building, Tokyo, Japan.

Shinkansen Bullet train and Tokyo Forum Building

Dancing in the streets at the 33rd Asakusa Samba Festival in Tokyo, Japan. Sat. 14 August 2014. 22 teams including local Japanese and Brazilians bring Samba to the roads around Asakusa Shrine. Watched by around 500,000 spectators.

Dancing in the streets at the 33rd Asakusa Samba Festival in Tokyo, Japan. Sat. 14 August 2014. 22 teams including local Japanese and Brazilians bring Samba to the roads around Asakusa Shrine. Watched by around 500,000 spectators.

St. Mary’s Cathedral Tokyo, designed by Japanese architect Tange Kenzo (dedicated in 1964)

The climbing season for Mt. Fuji runs July 1 to September 14. Thousands climb the trail at night to see the dawn from the summit.

The climbing season for Mt. Fuji runs July 1 to September 14. Thousands climb the trail at night to see the dawn from the summit.

The highlight of October’s Shuri Castle Festival is a lavish recreation of the 1800 Sappou Coronation, which formalized the Chinese Emperor’s recognition of the Ryukyu King. This was particularly important for the islanders as it gave them both protection and the right to trade with China.

Elderly Okinawan lady dancing with a bottle of Awamori balanced on her head. Ryukyu Mura, Okinawa

Shuri Castle has two major annual festivals. On each of the first three days of the year, a New Year Ceremony is held in the courtyard followed by performances of Ryukyu Dance. A local woman and man are chosen to play the parts of the Ryukyu King and Queen at the ceremony.

Okinawa Rail known locally as the Yanbaru Kuina. Endemic to Okinawa and critically endangered.

Ryukyu dance performance at Shuri Castle.

Zakimi Castle, Yomitan, Okinawa.

Shuri Castle, Okinawa, japan

Surfing at Maeda in Yomitan

Cape Manza, a popular diving spot, Okinawa, Japan.

Mushaama Harvest Festival Hateruma Island Yaeyamas, Okinawa, Japan

traditional Bingata Kimono at Shuri Castle, Okinawa, Japan

A chondara is like an Okinawan clown that takes part in Eisa, encouraging both the dancers and the crowd.

Kayaking in the mangroves, Ginoza.

A young girl plays a traditional conch shell horn at the Eisa dance along Kokusai Street

2000 kilometers south of Tokyo, lies the emerald green island of Ishigaki. Surrounded by crystal-clear waters, coral reefs and white sand beaches, Ishigaki has become a heavenly retreat for urban Japanese. Cramped trains and concrete cityscapes are replaced by palm lined roads and ocean panoramas. Tsukuji Beach is a quiet stretch of sand that could best be described as paradise.

Humpback Whale Breaches off the coast of Ie Island, Okinawa, Japan

Narihiro Shinjo – Uechi Ryu Karate, Yomitan, Okinawa, Japan.

On April 3rd 2014 (3rd day of 3rd month in Okinawa calendar) Yuta (priestess) Ayako Toguchi conducts a special ceremony in a sea cave called Sururu Gama on the coast of Kouri Island, Okinawa, Japan